2 Corinthians 2
August Memory Verse: So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31 (NIV)
Read: 2 Corinthians 2
The first part of 2nd Corinthians 2 illustrates the gravity of sin and the difficulty of standing for truth. Paul started by saying that he wasn’t going to visit again. Apparently, he had come to see the church at Corinth after he sent 1st Corinthians. This was a “painful visit.” He did not wish to cause them pain again, so instead, he penned another letter “out of much affliction and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to cause you pain but to let you know the abundant love that I have for you.”
I think about Paul’s phrase “abundant love,” and the difficult place he was in to call out the church for their sins. To call out sin is a painful thing for both parties, yet there is nothing as loving a person can do for another. Love in our culture equals license. Love means embracing people without expectation. This isn’t biblical love. True love requires equal parts grace and truth. If I embrace my child’s desire to play with something dangerous, that’s not loving, it’s neglect.
We define love in our house as “wanting someone’s absolute best.” This isn’t a self-serving love. Neither is it an easy love. It is a hard love to proactively achieve the best for the other person, even if it costs me. When people love us this way, it won’t always be easy, but those are the people you keep close—“Faithful are the wounds of a friend” (Proverbs 27:6)
Paul continued to instruct the Corinthian church regarding the man whose sin appeared to be felt by all. This man had caused pain because of his sin, but he now felt “excessive sorrow.” This is such a great phrase for what repentance looks like. When is the last time we were overwhelmed by excessive sorrow for our sin? If we aren’t sorrowful, it doesn’t change what sin is or does, it simply means that we are lacking the capacity to see its effect and cost. Our sin should break us. Like this person, we ought to need the church to forgive, comfort, and love us through it.
Finally, the Corinthians apparently began to reject Paul in favor of other Christian leaders who were more eloquent with the appearance of success. In verses 12–17, and continuing in the next chapter, Paul illustrates the upside-down-ness of Christ’s Kingdom. The roman triumphal procession was a march by a general and his army to celebrate their victory. In this procession, conquered prisoners were strung together and forced to march. Paul isn’t like so many “peddlers of God’s Word,” who would ride in as if they are the conquering general. Instead, Paul understands his works as one on parade for Christ’s victory march.
In this passage we get an amazing glimpse into Paul’s ministry. He understands his place— commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ. Yet, he is responsible to teach obedience to the disciples he had made. Calling out sin is not fun. However, it is the job of ministry.
This chapter doesn’t give all the details the Bible has to offer about how and when to approach a brother or sister in Christ regarding their sin. Instead, we see Paul’s heartfelt grief with it. It is hard. However, the cost of sin is too great to allow those we love to sin without saying anything. May we be a church sensitive to sin and quickly repentant.
By: Tyler Short
Read: 2 Corinthians 2
The first part of 2nd Corinthians 2 illustrates the gravity of sin and the difficulty of standing for truth. Paul started by saying that he wasn’t going to visit again. Apparently, he had come to see the church at Corinth after he sent 1st Corinthians. This was a “painful visit.” He did not wish to cause them pain again, so instead, he penned another letter “out of much affliction and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to cause you pain but to let you know the abundant love that I have for you.”
I think about Paul’s phrase “abundant love,” and the difficult place he was in to call out the church for their sins. To call out sin is a painful thing for both parties, yet there is nothing as loving a person can do for another. Love in our culture equals license. Love means embracing people without expectation. This isn’t biblical love. True love requires equal parts grace and truth. If I embrace my child’s desire to play with something dangerous, that’s not loving, it’s neglect.
We define love in our house as “wanting someone’s absolute best.” This isn’t a self-serving love. Neither is it an easy love. It is a hard love to proactively achieve the best for the other person, even if it costs me. When people love us this way, it won’t always be easy, but those are the people you keep close—“Faithful are the wounds of a friend” (Proverbs 27:6)
Paul continued to instruct the Corinthian church regarding the man whose sin appeared to be felt by all. This man had caused pain because of his sin, but he now felt “excessive sorrow.” This is such a great phrase for what repentance looks like. When is the last time we were overwhelmed by excessive sorrow for our sin? If we aren’t sorrowful, it doesn’t change what sin is or does, it simply means that we are lacking the capacity to see its effect and cost. Our sin should break us. Like this person, we ought to need the church to forgive, comfort, and love us through it.
Finally, the Corinthians apparently began to reject Paul in favor of other Christian leaders who were more eloquent with the appearance of success. In verses 12–17, and continuing in the next chapter, Paul illustrates the upside-down-ness of Christ’s Kingdom. The roman triumphal procession was a march by a general and his army to celebrate their victory. In this procession, conquered prisoners were strung together and forced to march. Paul isn’t like so many “peddlers of God’s Word,” who would ride in as if they are the conquering general. Instead, Paul understands his works as one on parade for Christ’s victory march.
In this passage we get an amazing glimpse into Paul’s ministry. He understands his place— commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ. Yet, he is responsible to teach obedience to the disciples he had made. Calling out sin is not fun. However, it is the job of ministry.
This chapter doesn’t give all the details the Bible has to offer about how and when to approach a brother or sister in Christ regarding their sin. Instead, we see Paul’s heartfelt grief with it. It is hard. However, the cost of sin is too great to allow those we love to sin without saying anything. May we be a church sensitive to sin and quickly repentant.
By: Tyler Short
2 Comments
Thanks for the devotion Tyler. It really helped me understand the meaning of the passage more.
Well written and well explained,Tyler. It reminds me of something a former pastor, Hoge Hockensmith, would often say, "...a good shepherd will love the stray sheep back into his fold ".